A prayer for the beginning of a new week

Basil of Caesarea, had a huge influence on the monastic movement of the early church and was a strong defender of Orthodoxy in our faith. Soon after his death in 379, he was declared a saint. He wrote extensively and many of his works remain. Here is a particular prayer that he penned, and I think it would be meaningful for us all (I have changed a few words to update the English :)

"O Lord our God, teach us, (we beg of you),to ask you for appropriate blessings.
Please steer the vessel of our life towards yourself,
the tranquil haven of all storm-tossed souls.
Show us the course that we should go.
Renew a willing spirit within us.
Let your Spirit curb our wayward senses,
and guide and enable us toward that which is for our true good,
to keep your laws, and in all our works evermore to rejoice
in your glorious and gladdening presence.
For thine is the glory and the praise for ever more. Amen."

Psalm 51:9-11 - Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

Living in grace

D3LM3

Take that shower - Inspiration for today

"People often say that motivation doesn't last.
Well, neither does bathing (or showing) - that's why we recommend it daily." - Zig Ziglar

I had a quiet chuckle when I read this quote earlier today. It seems a little silly at first reading, but then it starts to make a lot more sense.

If we looked at the quote in light of our spiritual lives, we may feel that our daily Bible readings don't seem to 'last' over the course of a day. All the events of a typical day can threaten to move us away from the presence of God, but this is why we need to turn to Jesus for our 'daily bread.'

A daily time of refreshing in God's Word is not meant to be a quick, long-term fix. It is meant to give us enough grace and spiritual inspiration for that day, and hopefully give us enough desire to return to the Word the next day.

Psalm 51:2 - Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Psalm 51:7 - Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

 

Ephesians 5:26 - "... cleansing her by the washing with water through the word."

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Steadfast

“Create in me a clean heart O’God and renew a STEADFAST spirit in me.” – Psalm 51:10

We all face times of struggle in our lives. We can be tempted to pack it all in and to give up, but the call for today is that we remain Steadfast. This implies that we firmly plant our feet on the ground and that we grit our teeth, fighting for another day. In a strange way, the more 'Steadfast' we become the stronger we get.

 

2 Chronicles 27:6 - Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God.

What is God asking you to remain steadfast in today?

I pray that God allows you the strength to "Hang in there" for one more day. 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

God will not reject ...

Many people have this notion of God as someone who is mean and nasty or as a Divine Overlord. I have to confess that there was a time in my faith where I wondered if God was playing games with my soul, but I have thankfully come to understand that God is not like that. In his song of confession, David makes an powerful statement of God's gracious nature, when he writes:

"The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit, 
You will NOT REJECT a broken and repentant heart, O God." - Psalm 51:17

In other words - David sees God as someone who is compassionate and willing to embrace us, especially when we show remorse for our sins. If we come to the Lord, acknowledging our need of forgiveness and mercy, then God will display grace and love to us.

Don't be afraid to come into the presence of Jesus today. God knows your heart and he will welcome you back into his arms.

Living in Grace
D3LM3